Continuing our reflection on what should have been as we head towards the 84th Academy Awards on 26th Feb.

As an Oscar winner for his role as Eddie Dupris in Million Dollar Baby, many would say that to argue a case for Morgan Freeman would be diluted. I disagree. When Se7en hit our screens in 1995 there was an outcry at how far serial killer movies could push the boundaries of taste. However in the years since, David Fincher’s brooding thriller has garnered a reputation for its restraint, and for all its implied obscenity, Se7en is an understated and thoughtful film. At the heart of this darkness is Freeman’s quiet, reflective performance, which perfectly depicts an honourable man surrounded by a world in decline and his determination to fight for good despite his growing despair. Such is his sense of calm at the film’s core as Detective Somerset that, as a viewer, when he becomes genuinely rattled in the film’s final moments, you are left with the certainty that, in the long run, humanity is screwed.

Freeman has never been better. A turn worthy of a nomination at least.